READ HERE WHAT SOME PEOPLE HAVE TO SAY
I bought an L reg Rover 420 GSI from the Castle Bank branch of Arnold Clark.
This is what happened!!.
At the time of purchase of the car I identified an oil leak and the garage
agreed to investigate this prior to collection of the car. To repair this oil
leak, which was on the right hand side of the engine, the cylinder head gasket
was replaced. In addition, two metal water coolant pipes were replaced because
of corrosion. Both were leaking coolant.
14/7/98: I collected the car. When I collected the car I found that the
driver’s floor was flooded with water. I did not notify this to the garage as it
was closing for the night.
15/7/98: I heard a rattle from the catalytic converter. I reported this problem
and the water leak problem to the garage by telephone to the sales man I dealt
with. The garage was unable to look at the car until 21/7/98. During this
time I purchased a brand new CD multichanger stereo and fitted it. This stereo
cost approximately £330 and was working perfectly.
21/7/98: I delivered the car to the garage for a catalytic converter emission
test and for them to identify and repair the source of the water leak.
23/7/98: I telephoned the Service Department to enquire about the
car and was told that it was ready for collection. When I arrived I found that
the catalytic converter had not been looked at because the emissions machine was
out of order.
The garage had decided that the water leak had occurred as a result of the roof
aerial being damaged prior to purchase (this was held on by two fixing screws
and moulding, the moulding had burst and only one screw was holding the aerial
in place which was letting water in and causing the flood on the driver’s
floor). The garage replaced the roof aerial but in the process had to remove the
new stereo to fit the aerial plug. The stereo was levered out causing damage to
the casing. The damage was reported to the Workshop Foreman who acknowledged the
damage had been caused while the aerial was being fitted. On collection, I found
that the new aerial plug had still not been connected and was lying on the floor
of the car.
In addition, the steering wheel cowling had been ripped off to find the source
of a noise and had not been replaced properly.
While this work had been carried out, a 3” scratch had been made on the bootlid
where something had been dragged across the paintwork.
I agreed to leave the car at the garage in order that these problems could be
resolved.
28/7/98: I collected the car.
The following work had been carried out:
·The catalytic converter had been replaced along with the rear section of the
exhaust. This cured the rattle.
·The steering cowling had been secured,
·The 3” scratch had been temporarily repaired but the temporary repair has
since washed off and the scratch has reappeared.
28/8/98: I drove the car to London from my home for the weekend. I had changed
the oil and the oil filter prior to this journey.
31/8/98: I checked the oil level before leaving London and found there to be no
oil on the dipstick at all. I filled the engine with oil, monitored the oil
level during the journey and the car consumed 4.5 litres of oil over
approximately 400 miles.
1/9/98: I notified the faults to the Service Department at the garage and was
offered an appointment on 7/9/98.
7/9/98: I delivered the car to the garage to investigate the oil burning
problem.
9/9/98: The staff of the garage were unable to identify the cause of the oil
loss problem and suggested that I carry out a ‘dry oil test’. This involved
filling the car with oil and running it until the oil level drops significantly.
The car had also developed a brake judder and the garage replaced the front
brake pads and discs.
15/9/98: The oil level dropped significantly and I called the garage for an
appointment to bring the car in.
22/9/98: I delivered the car to the garage for repair during which time they
replaced the electronic control unit in the engine in an attempt to resolve an
additional emissions problem which had been identified.
29/9/98: I collected the car from the garage. The valve seals had been replaced
(this involved removing the cylinder head a second time) in an attempt to
resolve the oil burning problem. I returned the car to my home town where I
arranged for an emissions test to be carried out by a local garage and the
emissions were just on the legal limit.4/10/98: I drove the car to Edinburgh
and on the return journey found the oil level to have dropped again, to half way
on the dip stick. On the way through Glasgow, I stopped at the garage and
informed the workshop foreman of this problem. The garage was unable to look at
the car until 12/10/98.
12/10/98: I delivered the car to the garage for repair.
20/10/98: I collected the car. The cylinder head had been removed for the third
time and the piston rings replaced.
21/11/98: I drove the car from home to Glasgow and the cylinder head gasket
blew on the motorway leaving me stranded at night. This caused the engine to
blow all the coolant out of the header tank and the engine overheated.
The car was towed to the garage and the cylinder head was removed for the
fourth time for investigation.
29/11/98: I collected the car from the garage. The cylinder head had been
skimmed in order to be resurfaced, the valves were replaced again and another
cylinder head gasket had been fitted. The starter motor was working on an
intermittent basis after collection.
4/12/98: The brake judder has returned. The starter motor has become
unpredictable.
6/12/98: I visited the Managing Director at the garage to discuss options with
the car, ie, full refund. At this point he was only able to offer me between
£5,000 - £5,500 on a trade-in against another vehicle from any Arnold Clark
garage. I was unable to see any other vehicle which I was interested in, so I
left it to think about my options.
7/12/98: I had an exhaust emissions test carried out at a local M.O.T. test
station, and found the carbon monoxide level to be in excess for a current
M.O.T. certificate. This problem has been ongoing since I got the car. I have
also found that the engine is burning oil again. I phoned the branch managing
director again and informed about these latest problems. After a long
discussion, one option was look at the car, and try to rectify the problems,
namely the oil problem in the engine, the brake judder, the carbon monoxide
emissions fault, and the starter problem. The next option was being offered a
replacement car of the same specification, but with a lower value, approx.
£5.000 -£5.500. The third option is to take the offer of the trade-in to the
value of £5,000 - £5,500 as discussed on 6/12/98.
7/12/98: I received a telephone call from (Workshop Foreman) regarding the car,
and he wanted to look at the car, to source the oil burning fault. I delivered
the car to the garage that evening, and collected a courtesy car.
11/12/98: The foreman phoned to tell me that the car is burning oil, and he
proposes to remove the cylinder head for the fifth time, and suggests the fault
may lie with the piston rings again.
I have owned the car for five months and it has been in the garage for repair
for approximately 40 days. Even though I have been given the use of a courtesy
car for some of this time I have been inconvenienced as I have had to leave work
early to visit the garage in Glasgow. It has covered four thousand miles since
purchase and the present mileage is 50,600.What a pain in the arse! Nice one
Arnold.
another member of staff, from Arnold Clark. which had just been mot'd yet had a
1-1.5 inch cut in the drivers seat belt webbing. an mot failure of the highest
degree. not to mention negligent. p.s. i have the belt as proof..
AC Peugeot Inverness. Don't know about customer satisfaction but staff morale
is s***e! Can't get parts, can't get jobs finished cos of that, get hassle from
'management' to finish jobs that you didn't start! 6 boys have left service in a
month cos of bad management. Just don't know how to treat staff at AC! This
service dept. is going down the pan - FAST!.
Bought a Rover 218 SLD in 1999, got a "Platinum" Warranty with it as it was a
Diesel. Within 2 months had to pay £600 on a oil leak from the cylinder head
gasket as it wasn't covered by the warranty. Do not go near these people, the
worst company in the world!!!.
The Liverpool Arnold Clark sucks to high heaven as well as Glasgow.
Me Car is five days late. That include the best excuse by "Richard" the
sales man; I'm sorry I won't be in tomorrow morning I'm taking the wife to
hospital for an operation!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bastards 24/01/2004
April 2003. I was about to pop over to Glasgow with view to buying a £5000 VW
but won't be wasting my time now. Would be helpful if all comments had a date
attached so can see this is an ongoing problem. .24/01/2004
great idea !
Linwood.
Car was stuttering so took it back to get their "experts" to have a look. Was
keep waiting for hours while they looked at this and that, plugged their
diagnostic computer (all very well if you know how to interpret the results) and
took the car for a run.
Finally I was told it was the fuel pump so was booked back in to get this fixed.
£500 later the pump was fitted but the car was no better. Took it to an
independent who diagnosed the problem as a sticky valve, who charged £20 to
flush the engine with Forte engine flush and the problem never occurred again.
Not only is their customer service terrible, the prices are extortionate and
their mechanics are terrible. And the salesmen are arrogant so and so's too. I
hate them all..24/01/2004
Matiz, she is entitled under her warranty to a courtesy car when her car is
serviced. Arnold Clark say... uhn uhn... No chance, Daewoo never gave us any!
What a crock, who ever heard of the manufacturer giving garages free cars for
courtesy cars!
Twats i say!.24/01/2004
I BOUGHT A NEW FIAT PUNTO FROM ARNOLD CLARK, GALLOWAY AVENUE, AYR, AYRSHIRE IN
JUNE 02. HAD THE CAR ABOUT 2 MONTHS AND THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR STARTED TO 'JERK'.
AND THE WINDOW WIPERS STARTED TO SHUDDER. AFTER THAT THE KEY STARTED TO GET
STUCK IN THE LOCK. ALL OF THESE PROBLEMS SORTED. THE BACK WINDOW WIPER FELL OFF
- SORTED. I THEN NOTICED THAT THE PASSENGERS SIDE DOOR WAS LETTING THE RAIN IN
AND THE FLOOR SOAKING. HOWEVER I WOULD NOT HAVE NOTICED THIS AS SOON AS I DID IF
I DID NOT HAVE THE RUBBER FLOOR MATS. AC TOOK IT IN AND I PICKED IT UP LATER ON
THAT DAY. TOLD THAT IT WAS FIXED. NOT!! TOOK IT BACK IN AGAIN AND TOLD THAT WAS
IT FIXED THIS TIME!! NOT!! MUM TOOK IT IN THE THIRD TIME. THEY SAID IT WOULD
NEED A NEW DOOR SEAL (I PUT A SMALL PEN MARK ON THE OLD DOOR SEAL B4 I TOOK IT
IN) GOT THE CAR BACK A DAY LATER AND HA HA THE PEN MARK WAS STILL THERE. AFTER
AC TELLING ME ''THEY'RE YOU GO HEN A NEW DOOR SEAL SHOULD BE NO MORE PROBS''.
WENT BACK IN TO AC RAGING. THEY
BOOKED THE CAR IN AND AFTER A BIT OF A FIGHT GAVE ME A COURTESY CAR AND HAD MINE
BACK TO ME IN 2 DAYS WITH A NICE LITTLE APOLOGY AND A BATH SET COURTESY OF AC!!
THOUGHT THAT WAS IT AND IT WAS FOR 4 MONTHS. NOW THE ENGINES LEAKING OIL AND
NEEDS A NEW GASKIT, THEY DONE THIS FOR ME BUT WE'LL WAIT AND SEE... NOW I FIND
THAT THE DOOR THAT WAS LEAKING IS STILL DRY HOWEVER WHEN U OPEN THE DOOR IT
FALLS ABOUT HALF A CENTEMETERE SO THIS IS MY NEXT PROB. BRAND NEW CAR??? .24/01/2004
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